Hello,
I’m heading to Thailand for a 5-month UN internship from mid-July to mid-December and want to explore Thailand before it starts, leaving in about a week. The Non-Immigrant ED visa process just started and might take up to 3 weeks.
Since I won’t get my visa in time, I plan to enter Thailand on a visa exemption, then travel to Cambodia and re-enter with my visa once it's ready. I won’t be in France when the visa is issued, which isn’t ideal, but the process is digital, so I hope it won't be an issue. For the visa exemption, I’ll only have a bus ticket to Cambodia, not a return flight within 30 days. If there’s a gap between the exemption and the visa, I’ll stay in Cambodia.
With recent events complicating border crossings, does this plan seem reasonable? Would you take the risk?
TLDR : Answer Summary
A user plans to enter Thailand on a visa exemption due to delays in obtaining a Non-Immigrant ED visa for a UN internship. They plan to travel to Cambodia and re-enter Thailand once their visa is ready. Concerns about proof of onward travel and potential complications with the eVisa process are raised, especially given the digital nature of the visa application and the challenges with the French embassy. The advice emphasizes the uncertainty and risks involved with their travel strategy.